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Blue Beetle
Golden Age Origin After his father was killed by a gangster's bullet, young Dan Garret joined the New York Police Department, but he soon tired of the slow pace and red tape of police work. He donned a blue three-piece suit and a white mask and established a costumed identity, fighting crime as the Blue Beetle. He had no powers, but he used a gun and a wrist-mounted mini-radio to get an edge on the criminals he was fighting. His calling card was a small beetle-shaped marker that he left in conspicuous places to alert criminals to his presence, using their fear of his crime-fighting reputation as a weapon against them. Shortly afterwords, his friend and mentor, a pharmacist and a drug-store proprietor named Dr. Franz helped Dan acquire bullet-proof armor made out of chain mail-like cellulose material. He still occasionally used a gun, but he mostly relied on his fists from that point on. He added a "BeetleMobile" car and a "BeetleBird" airplane to his arsenal. He also started using a "Beetle Signal" flashlight. In some stories, he was shown with a multi-pouched belt similar to Batman's. While investigating a dope ring, Dan Garret was wounded by a gangster's machine gun and laid near-death in the hospital. He received a visit from Dr. Franz, who had a plan to save Dan's life. Dr. Franz administered a strange treatment. Dan was given the secret experimental vitamin 2X, a super drug that endows its recipient with super strength and healing abilities, increased speed, heightened senses, and enhanced intellectual capacity. Under the drug's influence, Dan Garrett rapidly recovered from his injuries and returned to the street the next day. The effects of vitamin 2X were temporary, however (though the effects of healing were of course permanent), and when a serious crime called for super powers, Officer Garret had to rush to Dr. Franz's drug store, where, in a hidden room, he donned his costume and took a vitamin 2X pill. A super-powered Blue Beetle would then emerge to strike out against evil. Oddly, and for no reason ever stated, Dan Garret was never shown carrying a supply of vitamin 2X with him. Maybe it never occurred to him to do so, or maybe the strange drug rapidly broke down and had to be prepared fresh every time. Or maybe Dr. Franz was keeping his watchdog on a short leash. During the middle portion of his career, Blue Beetle was aided by a sidekick named Sparky. He was also occasionally aided by Joan Mason, his girlfriend in his civilian identity. Golden Age Appearances *''Mystery Men Comics #1-31 *''Blue Beetle ''#1-60 *''Big 3 ''#1-7 *''Real Hit Comics ''(one-shot) *''All Top Comics ''#8-13 *''Phantom Lady #13 *''Tegra, Jungle Empress'' #1 *''Zago, Jungle Prince'' #1 Notes Fox Features' police officer Dan Garret (one 't') is the ONLY Blue Beetle in the Public Domain. Archaeologist Dan Garrett (two 't's), who gained his powers from a magic scarab, is NOT Public Domain. Dan Garrett (two 't's), and all Blue Beetles thereafter are property of DC Comics. See Also http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/b/blubeet1.htm http://www.toonopedia.com/beetle1.htm [3] Category:Characters Category:Fox Characters Category:1939 Debuts Category:Charles Nicholas-Creator Category:Project Superpowers Characters Category:Heroes Category:AC Comics Category:Image Characters Category:I.W. Publishing Character Category:Charlton Characters Category:DC Characters